'Misleading' ads: FSSAI may slap notices on food business operators

Amid the Bournvita controversy, the country’s food regulator is planning to serve notices on various food business operators (FBOs), including manufacturers/marketers of nutraceutical products, refined oils, pulses, flours, millet products, ghee etc, over “misleading” claims.

On Friday, Advertisement Monitoring Committee of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) reported 32 fresh cases, which have, prima facie, been found in contravention of the provisions of Food Safety and Standards (Advertisements & Claims) Regulations, 2018.

The committee periodically scrutinises advertisements and claims made by FBOs on social media, e-commerce platforms and elsewhere.

The food products scrutinised include ranges of products such as health supplements, organic products, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) products, staples, etc., and the claims identified include various health and product claims, etc.

Earlier this week, sources said to keep a close tab on the claims and advertisements being made by FBOs on their products, FSSAI in the past six months got 138 cases, including those involving prominent brands, of promotions that were allegedly misleading and violated the regulatory provisions of FSS Act, 2006.

The total number of such cases of reported misleading advertisements and claims in the last six months has gone up to 170 and action against such food business operators shall continue, the regulator said on Friday.

According to provisions of Food Safety and Standards (Advertisements & Claims) Regulations, 2018, under which deceptive claims or advertisements are prohibited and are punishable offences under Section-53 of FSS Act, 2006.

“For further action, the same (issue) has been referred to the licensing authorities concerned for issuance of notices to all such FBOs for withdrawing of misleading claims or scientifically substantiating the same,” said FSSAI without naming any brand.